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C. H. WATSON.

Improvement in Seeding Attachments to Cultivators. No. 128,769, Patented July 9,1872.

* Wines $1 044/ UNITED STATES,

CHARLES H. WATSON, OF WASHINGTOR DISTRI GT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEEDING-MACHINE S.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,769, dated July 9, 1872.

SPECIFICATION. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. WATSON, of Washington city,District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seeding Attachments to Cultivators, by which I produce a simple and efficient seeding device which may be readily attached and detached to and from the ordinary straddle-row walking-cultivator, and so arranged as to be used to sow seed when using the implement as a cultivator, or be used as a seeding device generally for sowing seed of difterent sizes; and it consists in the novel mode ofv attaching the grain-box to the cultivator, in the form of the agitator, the arrangement and form of the sliding plate with the stationary plate, and in the construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter more fully described and pointed out by the claims; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing with letters of reference marked thereon forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of an ordinary walking-cultivator with the grain-box attached. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the seed or grain box. Fig. 3 is a top View of the plates placed in the bottom of the grain-box; and Fig. 4 is a view of one of the adjustable clamps used to secure the grain-box to the cultivator.

Like letters indicate like parts.

A represents the tongue, B the wheels, 0 the arched axle, D the beam or drag-bar, and E the standard, of the ordinary walking straddle-row cultivator, the handles and second standard generally used being removed. I represents the grain-box, of the form shown. The bottom of said box is made in two parts, 0 and P, the latter being stationary or rigidly secured, while the part 0 is supported by and slides upon the metal straps or plates 8 s, which are secured to the under sides of the ends of the grain-box. The straps or plates e e are secured to the sliding bottom 0, and extend out from the ends of the grain box, and secured to the levers T T, which are pivoted to the ends of the grain-box and heldin place by the racks S S. By this means the sliding bottom 0 may be adjusted so that the opening W between the parts 0 and P is made wide or narrow to admit of the passage of more or less seed, as desired. M and N representtwo plates having their inner edges made with the angular openings, as shown, to be used in sowing small seed. When used the plate M is set to cover about one-half of the opening W, and held in place by headed pins or screws passingthrough the slots at a in the plate M and in the hopperbottom. When placed in this position the projections c on the end of the plate M come one on each side of the serpentine wheel R, which imparts a reciprocating motion to the plate M. The plate N may be adjusted by the set-screws U U, (which may be arranged to pass through either the front or back parts of the grain-box,) so that, as the plate N is moved up to and passing over or under'the plate M, the openin gformed between said plates will be diamond shaped, and still retain that form whether adjusted to make the openings large or small to admit of the passage of large or small seed. This form of opening, when made to retain its shape, whatever the size desired, has an advantage over all other forms of openings, as no other known form will admit of the passage of seed so readily when adjusted to its smallest size, the plates being arranged to operate in a like manner. L represents an agitator of the peculiar form shown, being provided with corrugations upon its face, and extending the entire length of the grain-box, and one end is provided with a shaft, which extends beyond the grain-box to receive the serpentine wheel R an d pulley K, as shown. The advantage of this peculiar form of agitator is that it will stir the seed sufficiently to keep the same from clogging, while it requiresbut little power to turn it.

The agitators, having flat or plane surfaces, require an extra amount of power to operate them when the grain-box is full of seed pressing down upon them, while those having arms or spikes are not convenient to put in, and the arms or spikes get loose and fall out. Motion is communicated to the agitator and plate M through the medium of the pulley J, which is secured to the hub of the wheel B, the band shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, and the wheel or pulley K. G and H represent the clampingdevice used to secure the grain-box to the rear extension of the tongue A or to the axle 0. The

grain-box is represented as being placed be neath the tongue, but it may be placed above it, if desired. The part H of the clamping-device is constructed in angular form, as shown,

7 and the lower extension is perforated so that it may be securely attached to the grain-box by screws or bolts, while the other end is provided with a perforation having a screw-thread to receive the lower part of the clamp G. By this means the clamp may be adjusted up or down to correspond with the size of the tongue or axle upon which the grain-box is desired to be secured, forming such an attachment as will hold the grain-box firmly in place, and also furnish a means by which the box can be detached from the cultivator without removing bolts or screws. In sowing large grain the platesM and Nneed not necessarily be used, but moved back to the position shown in Fig. 1 or removed from the box. The flow of seed is then regulated by the sliding bottom 0, by being set to regulate the size of the opening W. The sliding bottom may also be used as a cut-off by closing the opening W, in going to and from the field. The sliding bottom 0 may be regulated by one lever, if desired, by placing the lever and connectin g the same to the sliding bottom by rods, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, one rack, similar to the racks S S, being placed on the top of the box. The racks and levers placed at each end of the box could then be dispensed with. The grain-box may be used to sow the seed when the implement is used to cultivate the plants, as it is often desirable to sow seed at that time; or may be used as a seedingimplement generally by simply removing the beams D, when the operator or attendant may ride on the implement. A common harrow or drag may be attached in place of the beams D to drag in the seed. By this arrangement the farmer may provide himself, at little cost, with an attachment for his cultivator, which will answer all purposes for sowing seed broadcast.

It is obvious that any of the known forms of seed-dropping mechanism may be substituted for that described, if desired.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The grain-box I, when arranged to be attached to the hounds or rear extension of the tongue or axle of awalking-cultivator, substantially as and for the purpose described. 2. The clamping-deviceGH, when constructed as shown and described, in combination with the grain-box and axle or tongue, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The agitator L, corrugated its entire length, as specified, and arranged with the grain-box, adjustable bottom 0, and stationary part P, and operative mechanism, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The vibrating plateM and stationary plate N, constructed on their inner faces as described, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of the stationary plate N and sliding plate M, when constructed and arranged to be adjusted and operated, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination of the sliding bottom 0, stationarypart P, plates M and N, and agitator L, the several parts being arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

CHAS. H. WATSON.

Witnesses:

T. H. ALEXANDER, WM. K. ELLIS. 

